North Central College Cardinals

Coached by fellow Hall of Famer Hal Henning, Dick Blick is the only North Central College athlete to ever win a gold medal in the Olympic Games. He did so in 1960 as part of the 800-meter free relay. In his swimming career, Blick was also a gold medalist at the 1959 Pan-American Games as part of the 800-meter free relay.

He was the top-ranked swimmer in the United States and the world for two years at 220 yards. Setting records at the 1959 Pan American games was his specialty. He set an American record in the 220-yard free, American and world records in the 200-meter free, and the American record as part of the 800-meter free relay.

At the collegiate level, Blick was National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national champion in the 100-yard free (1969, 61, 62), 220-yard free (1961, 62), 220-yard free (1959, 60) and 440-yard free (1959, 60, 61, 62). He was a conference champion in 1959 in the 100-yard, 220-yard and 440-yard free; and in 1961, the 100-yard, 220-yard and 440-yard free.

Blick set seven records at North Central and stands as the most decorated swimmer in college history with eleven national titles and gold metals won at the Pan-American and Olympic Games. Blick and teammate Ruben Roca, who had also set an individual record, had graduated in 1962. ????

Blick had competed in the Olympics in Rome  under Dr. Harold Henning, North Central alum, Naperville resident, and former NCC swim coach. Blick had won a gold medal after winning the 800 meter relay in Rome for Team USA- where he swam the fastest 200 meters in Olympic history. 

Graduating from North Central with a bachelor of science degree, he later earned a master's degree at Indiana University.

Once he retired from his life of professional swimming, Blick moved to the west coast where he taught math and physical education at Lynbrook High School in Cupertino, California and Kinsgburg, California.